No heat in cabin; and found no T stat in T stat housing

[97GS]

So I had no heat coming from my heater and did some research on here. So figured I'd do the cheaper repair and replace the thermostat.
I opened the housing to find there wasn't even a T stat installed. I bought this car 2 months ago and have put about 3,000 miles on it. I don't even know how long before I got it that it has ran without a T stat.
So I buy a T stat for my 2.0L non turbo dohc and its doesn't fit. It's completely the wrong one. Go back to the store and look at the 2.4L T stat and it fits much better but with the outside circle of the T stat and gasket I now can't bolt the housing back together.
I need help to figure what I'm suppose to do now. Do I modifies the T stat and gasket so I can bolt the housing back together?

 

[chasedardis]

Why are you modifying it, is it an oem part? If there is no heat in cabin flush the heater core even though there's no t stat it should have heat at normal operating temps. Is there fluid in the radiator? What year and engine model is it?

 

[keithcfisher29]

why cant you get the right one?maybe they grabed the wrong one or something get one from the dealer try a different parts store return them if they dont fit

 

[dino4g63]

No t-stat would not keep you from getting heat in the cabin. It may cause it to heat slower than normal. I good coolant system flush would be a good start. Try getting a t-stat from different auto parts store. Their catalog systems have mistakes in them. Autozone gives you 6 bolt engine parts if you tell them you have a 96 turbo. Their not perfect.

 

[jls_frog]

I would not modify the thermostat like others have said just take it back and try somewhere else. No thermostat shouldn't affect your heater other than taking much longer to warm up in cold.

 

[97GS]

Again I just bought this car 2 months ago. This is my first DSM. Its a 97 GS with a 420a motor according to the firewall plate. The initial T stat I bought was for a 2.0L but would have made way too big of gap between the housing. This T stat is for a 2.4L .Here are some pics of what Im dealling with.

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Notice what I mean now how now Im not able to bolt my housing together without having to modify the T stat.

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And should there be any gap between the housings? With this T stat there would also be a gap the thickness of the rubber gasket and it just doesnt seem right to me.

 

[jls_frog]

If you can try getting the thermostat from a different place or order it online, because if you try to trim and use that one it will more than likely leak. and that does look like a 420a

 

[dino4g63]

You have a 2g non turbo. It is a 420a 2.0, the parts store gave you the wrong part.

 

[97GS]

You have a 2g non turbo. It is a 420a 2.0, the parts store gave you the wrong part.

Yea this one is for a 2.4L but the one they gave me for a 2.0L was even thicker which i wouldnt be able to bolt the housing together without it for sure leaking. Ill hit up napa and pepboys today to see what they have and maybe go to a couple of strip yards to see what I can find.

Does anyone know if I absolutely need to have a gasket or will they rtv seal it enough?

 

[dino4g63]

You really want to have the rubber gasket. It has a dual purpose it seals but also acts as a retainer keeping the the T-stat held in place. The housings has about a 1/8" gap that is filled up by the rubber gasket. Without this it is possible the rtv could degrade and the T-stat would move around in this void.

 

[97GS]

Well after going to Napa, which also didnt have the right part then to Pepboys, I found the right T stat. It fits perfectly into the recessed spot in the housing. Now what would be the proper way to flush my heater core cause I have not been able to find it. I'd like to try that before have to go through the intense procedure to remove and replace it.

 

[DSM1G90]

Little trick though with these vertical mounted "t-stats": If the flange doesn't have a wiggle valve, drill a .050 hole in the flange so that any air lock will be prevented.

The drilled hole keeps the system "burped"
...little trick that I learned with the older Dodge 2.2L motors that love to get air lock in the system with that vertical mounted t-stat....very poor design...

-DSM

 

[92AWDHX40]

I just got rad flush drained old stuff out and ran a hose through mine, done.

 

[97GS]

But where do i run the water through? Into the T stat housing? And what all hoses do I disconnect? This will be the first time I've ever done anything like this.

 

[dino4g63]

Their is a T-Fitting that you install in your heater hose that allows you to feed fresh water and flush out your radiator. It is at all the auto parts stores.

 

[97GS]

Their is a T-Fitting that you install in your heater hose that allows you to feed fresh water and flush out your radiator. It is at all the auto parts stores.

This may sound stupid but where does this connect? Where would the heater hose be? In the engine compartment, under the car, etc... Thanks again for the help.

 

[dino4g63]

Under the hood. 2 hoses supply coolant to your heater core. They are roughly 3/4" in diameter. You splice the T-fitting in one. Put it in a spot that is the easiest to reach so you can hook a water hose to the fitting.